Clear Consequences

“Yes to Capulálpam, no to the mine”, said Kendy Hernandez with reference to the meeting to take place from Thursday 17 to Sunday 20 in her community of Capulálpan de Méndez, in Oaxaca State, Mexico.

Kendy was interviewed for Real World Radio by our collaborator in Mexico and member of REMA, who is participating in and covering the event, Monica Montalvo.

The community activist pointed out that the goal is to promote joint experiences of resistance, based on some of the victories reached, for instance that of Capulálpan.
This is a "historically mining region, however there are plans to promote open-pit mining, which due to the demands of the organized community we managed to suspend because it threatens life in the community", said Kendy.

The Mesoamerican Peoples Meeting “Yes to life, no to mining” beginning today aims to analyze the consequences of mining in the Mesoamerican territories and generate defense and organization alternatives from the peoples, the authorities and organizations.

This event will address the mining situation in Mesoamerica; indigenous rights and mining; strategies of defense and peoples’ alternatives for well-living.

This is a moment of reflection for organizations of Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Canada and Mexico, who have joined different resistance processes to defend indigenous and peasant territories against mining.

The event is called by municipal and community authorities of Capulálpam de Méndez, the Coordinator of Peoples United of Valle de Ocotlan (CPUVO), the Oaxaca Group in Defense of Territories, University Services and Networks of Knowledge of Oaxaca (SURCO), the Mexican Network of People Affected by Mining (REMA), the Mesoamerican Movement against the Mining Extractivist Model (M4), the National Indigenous Missions Support Center (CENAMI AC).

In Mexico there have been a series of problems directly related to the arrival of mining companies, such as in Baja California, San Luis Potosi, Nayarit, Puebla, Veracruz, Chiapas, Guerrero and Oaxaca. In Oaxaca social problems have especially deepened due to the mining projects, such as the cases of Capulálpam de Méndez in Sierra Juarez and San Jose del Progreso in Valle de Ocatlan.

According to Banco de Mexico, in just a decade the income of the sector went from the 5th to the 3rd place, only exceeded by oil and automobile incomes.

According to the president of the Mexican Mining Chamber, 60 per cent of the national territory remains unexplored. But what Banco de Mexico or the mining industry are not saying is that this growth is based on the destruction of the environment, overlooking the rights of the landowners, peasants and indigenous people.

By the end of the interview with Real World Radio, Kendy said that the community is in charge of the logistics of the event and is also broadcasting it live through local community radios and an online live streaming.

Kendy also invited to follow the resistance in her community with photos and texts through their Facebook page: CapulalpamNoALaMineria